CLARK FREEPORT – Former Olongapo City mayor Rolen Paulino, Sr. is now relishing his life as a private citizen and the closest adviser to the incumbent mayor, his son and namesake.
Paulino disclosed that he allowed his son to make a a literal last-minute substitution to take his place in mayoralty race on November 29, 2018 at 4:45 pm or just 15 minutes before closing.
He said his political opponents were waiting for him to fished his term in 2022 and were all surprised when he was suddenly substituted by his son Rolen Jr, 28, who is a bachelor.
Paulino made the disclosure at the Balitaan media forum organized by the Capampangan in Media, Inc. (CAMI) in cooperation wit the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) at the Bale Balita here on Friday.
Paulino said he made the political strategy so that his political opponents will again have a problem in 2022 because the top executive post in Olongapo City will again be open for him.
He recalled that when he took office six years ago, Olongapo City had a P5.1 billion electric bill which have gone down to P3.8 billion now.
He added that Rep. Jeff Khonghun (1st district, Zambales) has filed a bill that will condone their remaining balance with the Olongapo Electricity Distribution Company, Inc. since it is a government corporation and the case that was filed six years ago is still pending since no one is attending from the public utility company side.
Paulino also recalled that when he came to office, the city’s income is only P13 million with payables of P150 million. But now the city has P650 million in revenues with no debts.
He lamented that the Olongapo hospital did not even have a portable x-ray machine before but now it has a digital x-ray machine, the beds and their cushions are all new.
He noted that three were a lot of people who contributed to its welfare maybe because “they realized that the money is not being stolen.”
Paulino said the city has an annual budget of P2.1 billion and is not internal revenue allotment (IRA) dependent since it has its own revenues.
But he said the city has only an equal share when it comes to the gross income earned (GIE) from the locators of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) even if most of the locators are within the territorial jurisdiction of Olongapo City unlike Mabalacat City which enjoys the lion’s share in GIE from Clark locators.
Paulino said traffic was a problem in the city unlike now because of the successful one-way scheme policy which cut travel time by about 14 minutes. That is why he said he was also the proponent of the one-way scheme in EDSA and the C-5 Road.
“Let’s see. There is no harm in trying,” he said.
When it comes to the drug problem where Olongapo was always on top in Central Luzon, now it is at the bottom of the ladder, he said.
Paulino was the first Kapampangan mayor in Olongapo City.
Meanwhile, Paulino recalled that he started as the executive assistant of then Olongapo Mayor Richard Gordon who is now senator and chairs the powerful Blue-Ribbon Committee.
He said one his twin son ran for councilor just to test the waters but he ended up as the number one councilor.
As the closest adviser to the mayor, he said he meets with his son everyday at 6 am and discusses with him important matters over a cup of coffee. “He even kisses me on the lips after our meeting,” he said.
“Now, I don’t have to ask permission whenever I want to go abroad unlike the time when I was mayor,” he said. “I even drive my own car and moves around without any body guard,” he added.
Paulino said he is slated to become the Grand Master of the Freemasonry in the Philippines.
